The Star Tugs Company
The Star Tugs Company Ltd is a trust founded in early 2013, and sets out to exhibit, preserve and maintain the original model props used for the filming of TUGS. History Various cases containing face-masks and buoys for TUGS characters was put up for auction on eBay in mid 2012. Soon after in December of that year pictures of the model props for the face-masks were posted by the owner on this Wiki and equally were also placed for sale. However, the owner of the models agreed to trade to members of the Sodor Island Fansite (commonly known and short for SiF) so that they would be in safe hands and with suitable owners. The official handover of the models was in January 2013, and four months later on May 7th, The Star Tugs Trust was officially launched. Plans and intentions for the models' well-being and the trust's aims were thoroughly discussed, and the original name 'The Star Tugs Trust' was changed to 'The Star Tugs Company Ltd.' due to copyright reasons. From January 17, 2014 to February 16, 2014, The Star Tugs Company had held a 'KickStarter' campaign. They were in the need to raise money, in order to refurbish the 18 TUGS models that they had held and place it in a well decorated ex-British Railways MK1 coach. The coach will serve its purpose by being a museum for the TUGS models and hauling it from place to place in it's outings. The Star Tugs Company has succeeded by funding £11,350 with 79 people who had helped along the way. Although O.J. was the first model to be on public display on the 22nd May, 2013, the first official outing for the Company was on 8th-9th March, 2014 at The Battlefield Railway, UK. The Models The Star Tugs Company Ltd. currently own the following models: Key: Models that are marked with a slash are models that have been used for two different characters in the show. Star Fleet: *Ten Cents *Big Mac *O.J. *Warrior *Hercules *Sunshine Z-Stacks: *Zorran *Zebedee *Zak *Zug *Zip Other Characters: *Lillie Lightship *Billy Shoepack *Bluenose/Sea Rogue *Boomer/Sea Rogue's Uncle *Burke & Blair *Fire Tug * Sally Seaplane (In the form of the character's spare model prop, "Phoenix". Total: 19 models (21 characters) Events Past events/Exhibitions: * 22nd May 2013 - The Battlefield Railway, Leicestershire, UK. Only O.J., in his current 'Lakesider III' guise. He was showcased along with a large collection of TUGS and Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends merchandise. * 21st November 2013 - Gloucester Docks Museum, Leicestershire, UK. Zug had an unplanned day out raising awareness of the trust and the TV show. * 8th-9th March 2014 - The Battlefield Railway, Leicestershire, UK. Launched the 25th Anniversary tour events, the trust took on its first official outing. A fundraising campaign (which ended succesfully at a sum of £11,350) was organised to support the exhibition and future intentions for the models. * 17th-18th May 2014 - Moira Canal, Leicestershire, UK. A different selection of the 18 models available would've been on display, and preview clips from the fan run 'TUGS CGI' project, all part of the Moira Canal 14th annual festival. * 22nd June 2014 - Midway Railway Centre - Butterley Station, Nottinghamshire, UK. A different seclection of the 18 models wiould be on display, with Tugs being on TV and included some mechandise to sell. * 11th July 2014 - The TUGS make it into the Model Boats Magazine once more in the August 2014 issue. * 12th July 2014 - Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway - Leadhills, UK. This marked the first time that the Tugs models were on display in Scotland * 13th July 2014 - Midway Railway Centre - Butterley Station, Nottinghamshire, UK. The Star Tugs Exhibition will be open in this location. * 13-14 September 2014 - Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Heritage Way, UK. This event featured the models Ten Cents, Sea Rogue and Zip. This will mark the last event held in Scotland for their tour before heading back home to the Midway Railway Exhibition. * 27th-28th September 2014 - Midway Railway Centre - Butterley Station, Nottinghamshire, UK. This event celebrated the 25th anniversary since Tugs has premiered. All 18 models were all be on display, including "Phoenix", Sally Seaplane's spare model prop. Upcoming Exhibitions: * 20th-22nd February 2015 - Brighton Model World - Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK. Trivia *The group intend to invest in a 'Bigg City' Diorama in the future, which will be an interactive display for events. *There are possibilities for The Star Tugs Comapny to make replicas of the original models for multiple purposes. *The Star Tugs Company is now attempting to locate the models for Top Hat and Grampus. **In which these models were lost after the TUGS TV series had ended, their whereabouts are currently unknown. Their face masks (apart from Top Hat's scared face and Grampus' thrilled face), are now the only part that is last left of them. Links The following are links to various Star Tugs Company Ltd websites: The Star Tugs Companies Website Blog Page Youtube Channel Facebook Page Twitter Page Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign Gallery Images courtesy of Terrier55Stepney and The Star Tugs Company Ltd. TSTCOriginalLogo.png|The Star Tugs Trust's original logo TenCents'Model.png|Ten Cents' Model 20140928_133637.jpg|Big Mac's Model OJ'sModel.jpg|O.J/Lakesider III's Model Warrior'sModel..png|Warrior's Model IMG 7493.JPG|Hercules' Model Sunshine'sModel.jpg|Sunshine's Model 20140928_132727.jpg|Zorran's Model 20140928_132721.jpg|Zebedee's Model Zak'sModel..png|Zak's Model 20140928_132751.jpg|Zug's Model Zip'sModel.jpg|Zip's Model LillieModelUpClose.jpg|Lillie Lightship's Model SEA ROGUE.JPG|Sea Rogue/Bluenose's Model 20140928_132329.jpg|Boomer/Sea Rogue's Uncle BillyShoepack'sModel.jpg|Billy Shoepack's Model FireTug'sModel.jpg|Fire Tug's Model IMG 7466.jpg|Burke's Model IMG 7485.jpg|Blair's Model IMG 7473.jpg|Billy Shoepack's Model When Bought ModelBoatsMagAugust2014.jpg|The Trust gets an article on the tugs! Category:Companies Category:Real Companies